Elephant Beauty Pageant Where Big (Animals) Are Beautiful

When you hear the term “elephant beauty” you either think Dumbo Disney cuteness or some plus sized extravaganza. What you don’t think is actual elephants fluttering eyelashes and wearing rouge on their trunk. More fool you. Well, not the rouge part (animal cruelty is no joke).

In Chitwan National Park, Nepal, the elephant beauty pageant has been part of the Chitwan Elephant Festival celebrations since 2010.

The park holds around 100 elephants and in the inaugural 2010 competition, six took part, scrubbed, smoothed and covered in colored cloths and face paint. Even their nails were painted.

The BBC reported that the chosen elephants were used for their “discipline, obedience and experience” and the judges examined the animals to see if they were up to scruff. For example, sores in their mouth would mean that their handlers had to chastise them, and the winner should be an elephant with a sunny disposition.. and a way with eyeshadow.

The competition was so successful that this is now an annual event.

Hey, I think it’s great that we celebrate beauty in all forms, and the fact that an elephant beauty competition focuses so heavily on personality is pretty awesome!